Winning the SEC Football crown is one of the hardest feats in sports, especially in College Football. Those involved in the SEC would argue that it's harder than winning the College Football Playoff as the 8 game grind faces you off against physically imposing teams on a weekly basis against some of the best talent in the Country.
This season and every season, there's a group of teams that are in contention for the SEC Championship even on down years because of the level of talent they recruit. As the teams at the top dominate on a weekly basis, the team's in the bottom half of the conference often fall victim to the Nation's best.
This season, 6 teams stand out as clear programs that don't have the talent across the board to win the SEC as their rosters have massive glaring holes. Most of the teams are the usual suspects but, the transfer portal has made it possible for those teams at the top to have an off year. This season, one typical contender slides all the way out of contention.
Kentucky Wildcats
- 2024 Record: 4-8 (1-7)
The Kentucky Wildcats are more likely to go winless in SEC Play than they are to win the entire conference. The Wildcats has a massive transition in the transfer portal losing 31 players while adding 25 players to replace some of their losses and the players they lost to the NFL. The season will heavily swing on how well Zach Calzada plays but, it's easy to say one of the worst teams in the Conference got worse.
Notable Losses:
- Cornerback - Maxwell Hairston - 1st Round Pick
- Defensive Tackle - Deone Walker - 4th Round Pick
- Wide Receiver - Dane Key - Transfer Portal (Nebraska)
- Wide Receiver - Barion Brown - Transfer Portal (LSU)
- Defensive Line - Keeshawn Silver - Transfer Portal (USC)
An offense that ranked 112th in passing yards per game loses its two most talented wide receivers to Power 4 programs that likely feel that Dane Key and Barion Brown weren't utilized correctly. Zach Calzada may end up being a massive upgrade for Kentucky but, the fact that he hasn't panned out with two different SEC programs should be a red flag.
On defense, losing two elite talents in Maxwell Hairston and Deone Walker is especially tough to overcome. Kentucky did bolster its defensive front using the transfer portal landing plug and play pieces in David Gusta, Sam Green, and Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace but, it still may not be enough to get this team into the top half of the conference.
Vanderbilt Commodores
2024 Record: 7-6 (3-5)
While Diego Pavia returns, the Vanderbilt Commodores will be playing with at least 4 of 5 new offensive linemen, with an outside chance that the team could start a group full of transfers. The team was a fun storyline in 2024 but, they'll still be a far inferior team talent wise to most of their opponents which gives them no chance of winning the SEC.
Notable Departures:
- Offensive Tackle - Gunnar Hansen - Transfer Portal (Florida State)
- Defensive Line - De'Marion Thomas - Transfer Portal (Oklahoma State)
- Wide Receiver - Quincy Skinner Jr - Undrafted Free Agent
- Guard- Steven Losoya - Undrafted Free Agent
In a Conference as loaded as the SEC, the turnover on the offensive line is a massive concern heading into the season for Vanderbilt. Even if the group is as talented as it was last season they'll still be at a massive talent disadvantage in nearly every game they play. While the Commodores got SEC Caliber players in Keanu Koht and Jordan Matthews it may not be enough to take that next step defensively. Besides when they face Kentucky, Vanderbilt will be projected to lose in every SEC game they play.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
2024 Record: 2-10 (0-8)
Jeff Lebby still has a tough task at hand as he looks to rebuild Mississippi State from the bottom of the SEC. It's especially tough to start building a team when you lose 34 players to the transfer portal in one offseason, bringing in 34 players to replace them.
Notable Departures:
- Quarterback - Michael Van Buren - Transfer Portal (LSU)
- Wide Receiver - Kevin Coleman - Transfer Portal (Missouri)
- Wide Receiver - Mario Craver - Transfer Portal (Texas A&M)
- Cornerback - Brice Pollock - Transfer Portal (Texas Tech)
Michael Van Buren showed a ton of promise last season as a True Freshman quarterback but, he's now backing Garrett Nussmeier up at LSU. Incoming Freshman Kamario Taylor has shown that same flash in spring practices but, likely won't get the chance to start as Blake Shapen returns and Luke Kromenhoek transfers into Mississippi State.
This season will be all about showing some promise and signs of improvement as Jeff Lebby's tenure will start to get judged by the fanbase and boosters.
Missouri Tigers
- 2024 Record: 10-3 (5-3)
The 2024 season was supposed to be one where Missouri could compete as a dark horse in the SEC and a potential College Football Playoff contender. Instead against the 3 ranked opponents Missouri faced, the Tigers went 0-3 losing to Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas A&M. This season, the Missouri Tigers take a step back talent wise as they lost a ton to the NFL.
Notable Departures:
- Offensive Tackle - Armand Membou - 1st Round Pick
- Wide Receiver - Luther Burden III - 2nd Round Pick
- Offensive Tackle - Marcus Bryant - 7th Round Pick
- Wide Receiver - Theo Wease - Undrafted Free Agent
- Quarterback - Brady Cook - Undrafted Free Agent
The Nation's 57th ranked offense loses it's starting quarterback, Top 2 wide receivers, leading running back, and both offensive tackle which is a lot to overcome. The Tigers will likely become a run first offense this season with the addition of Beau Pribula at quarterback and Ahmad Hardy at running back after his breakout season.
Missouri's defense was actually their best unit in 2024 allowing just 20.4 points per game which ranked 20th Nationally. The group loses Johnny Walker Jr who recorded 9.5 sacks last season and leading tackler Corey Flagg Jr but, the team did add two high upside pieces to replace them.
Ultimately, the offense will take too big of a step back to overcome one of their losses from last season while several opponents they beat last year in Auburn, Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt won't be easy games.
Arkansas Razorbacks
- 2024 Record: 7-6 (3-5)
Heading into the 2025 season, the Arkansas Razorbacks are in a brutal place as they face a loaded schedule and dealt with a ton of turnover in the transfer portal. Sam Pittman and his staff added 28 players in the transfer portal but, their 39 players lost to the transfer portal is far too much turnover in one offseason.
Notable Departures:
- Wide Receiver - Isaac TeSlaa - 3rd Round Pick
- Edge Rusher - Landon Jackson - 3rd Round Pick
- Offensive Line - Josh Braun - Transfer Portal (Kentucky)
- Offensive Line - Addison Nichols - Transfer Portal (SMU)
- Safety - TJ Metcalf - Transfer Portal (Michigan)
- Linebacker - Brad Spence - Transfer Portal (Texas)
Winning the SEC would've been tough for Arkansas to begin with without a ton of turnover as they don't recruit at the same level as the elite of the elite in the SEC. Among the 28 players transferring in to Arkansas, only one player ranks as a 4-star transfer while several teams in the SEC added 10+ transfers.
The schedule does no favors for Arkansas either as you can only seemingly lose 2 games if you want to make the College Football Playoff. Arkansas faces likely Top 25 teams in Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Auburn, LSU, and Texas during SEC Play which is a brutal stretch while Notre Dame in Non-Conference play should add another loss to the Razorbacks record.
Tennessee Volunteers
- 2024 Record: 10-3 (6-2)
Coming off of a trip to the College Football Playoff, the Tennessee Volunteers should be contenders to return to the College Football Playoff. Instead the Tennessee Volunteers are more likely than not going to finish in the bottom half of the SEC as they lost a ton of talent to the NFL Draft and to the transfer portal.
Notable Departures:
- Edge Rusher - James Pearce Jr - 1st Round Pick
- Defensive Line - Omarr Norman-Lott - 2nd Round Pick
- Wide Receiver - Dont'e Thornton - 4th Round Pick
- Running Back - Dylan Sampson - 4th Round Pick
- Quarterback - Nico Iamaleava - Transfer Portal
Losing Nico Iamaleava is far and away the Volunteers biggest loss even if he hasn't lived up to the expectations placed on him as a 5-star recruit. Iamaleava could've taken a jump after a full season in the offense but, the Volunteers now need to prepare a quarterback to start on the fly this summer which is less than ideal. Now the Volunteers will need to go with two young quarterbacks who got 2nd and 3rd team reps in the Spring or Joey Aguilar who's talented but, led College Football in interceptions last season.
Despite losing a first round pick at edge rusher in James Pearce Jr and elite defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott the defense still has the talent to win the SEC. Losing a starting quarterback, leading rusher, and the team's three leading wide receivers will end up being too much for Tennessee to overcome for the Volunteers.